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^ THE GLASS FACTORY. ^
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@¶#*^\».,, SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ,,.»\^*#¶@
¶#*^\».,,, BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ,,,.»\^*#¶
#*^\».,,,, THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ,,,,.»\^*#
*^\».,,,,, NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ,,,,,.»\^*
^\».,,,,,, SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ,,,,,,.»\^
*^\».,,,,, STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ,,,,,.»\^*
#*^\».,,,, FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ,,,,.»\^*#
¶#*^\».,,, THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ,,,.»\^*#¶
@¶#*^\».,, AND A GIFT SHOP. ,,.»\^*#¶@
#@¶#*^\»., ,.»\^*#¶@#
@¶#*^\».,, THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ,,.»\^*#¶@
¶#*^\».,,, MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ,,,.»\^*#¶
#*^\».,,,, CONSIDERED POOR. ,,,,.»\^*#
*^\».,,,,, ,,,,,.»\^*
^\».,,,,,, THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ,,,,,,.»\^
*^\».,,,,, DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ,,,,,.»\^*
#*^\».,,,, YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ,,,,.»\^*#
¶#*^\».,,, REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ,,,.»\^*#¶
@¶#*^\».,, CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ,,.»\^*#¶@
#@¶#*^\»., LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ,.»\^*#¶@#
@¶#*^\».,, PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ,,.»\^*#¶@
¶#*^\».,,, SOME ARE SHATTERED. ,,,.»\^*#¶
#*^\».,,,, ,,,,.»\^*#
*^\».,,,,, THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ,,,,,.»\^*
^\».,,,,,, A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ,,,,,,.»\^
*^\».,,,,, GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ,,,,,.»\^*
#*^\».,,,, VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ,,,,.»\^*#
¶#*^\».,,, TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ,,,.»\^*#¶
@¶#*^\».,, GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ,,.»\^*#¶@
#@¶#*^\»., ,.»\^*#¶@#
@¶#*^\».,, ^^ ,,.»\^*#¶@
¶#*^\».,,, ^^ ^^ ,,,.»\^*#¶
#*^\».,,,, »»»»»»» ^ ^ »»»»»»» ,,,,.»\^*#
*^\».,,,,, ^^ ^^ ,,,,,.»\^*
^\».,,,,,, ^^ ,,,,,,.»\^
*^\».,,,,, ,,,,,.»\^*
#*^\».,,,, I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ,,,,.»\^*#
¶#*^\».,,, OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ,,,.»\^*#¶
@¶#*^\».,, OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ,,.»\^*#¶@
#@¶#*^\»., DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ,.»\^*#¶@#
@¶#*^\».,, BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ,,.»\^*#¶@
¶#*^\».,,, DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ,,,.»\^*#¶
#*^\».,,,, ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ,,,,.»\^*#
*^\».,,,,, LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ,,,,,.»\^*
^\».,,,,,, WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ,,,,,,.»\^
*^\».,,,,, ,,,,,.»\^*
#*^\».,,,, HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ,,,,.»\^*#
¶#*^\».,,, HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ,,,.»\^*#¶
@¶#*^\».,, IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ,,.»\^*#¶@
#@¶#*^\»., INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ,.»\^*#¶@#
@¶#*^\».,, IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ,,.»\^*#¶@
¶#*^\».,,, WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ,,,.»\^*#¶
#*^\».,,,, OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ,,,,.»\^*#
*^\».,,,,, ,,,,,.»\^*
^\».,,,,,, THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ,,,,,,.»\^
*^\».,,,,, HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ,,,,,.»\^*
#*^\».,,,, LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ,,,,.»\^*#
¶#*^\».,,, TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ,,,.»\^*#¶
@¶#*^\».,, A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ,,.»\^*#¶@
#@¶#*^\»., STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ,.»\^*#¶@#
@¶#*^\».,, BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ,,.»\^*#¶@
¶#*^\».,,, ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ,,,.»\^*#¶
#*^\».,,,, LIT FROM BEHIND. ,,,,.»\^*#
*^\».,,,,, ,,,,,.»\^*
^\».,,,,,, I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ,,,,,,.»\^
*^\».,,,,, THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ,,,,,.»\^*
#*^\».,,,, WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ,,,,.»\^*#
¶#*^\».,,, LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ,,,.»\^*#¶
@¶#*^\».,, ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ,,.»\^*#¶@
#@¶#*^\»., AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ,.»\^*#¶@#
@¶#*^\».,, OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ,,.»\^*#¶@
¶#*^\».,,, ,,,.»\^*#¶
#*^\».,,,, ^^ ,,,,.»\^*#
*^\».,,,,, ^^ ^^ ,,,,,.»\^*
^\».,,,,,, »»»»»»» ^ ^ »»»»»»» ,,,,,,.»\^
*^\».,,,,, ^^ ^^ ,,,,,.»\^*
#*^\».,,,, ^^ ,,,,.»\^*#
¶#*^\».,,, ,,,.»\^*#¶
@¶#*^\».,, MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ,,.»\^*#¶@
#@¶#*^\»., STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ,.»\^*#¶@#
@¶#*^\».,, IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ,,.»\^*#¶@
¶#*^\».,,, IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ,,,.»\^*#¶
#*^\».,,,, IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ,,,,.»\^*#
*^\».,,,,, DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ,,,,,.»\^*
^\».,,,,,, CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ,,,,,,.»\^
*^\».,,,,, SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ,,,,,.»\^*
#*^\».,,,, PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ,,,,.»\^*#
¶#*^\».,,, ,,,.»\^*#¶
@¶#*^\».,, THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ,,.»\^*#¶@
#@¶#*^\»., THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ,.»\^*#¶@#
@¶#*^\».,, THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ,,.»\^*#¶@
¶#*^\».,,, A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ,,,.»\^*#¶
#*^\».,,,, SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ,,,,.»\^*#
*^\».,,,,, HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ,,,,,.»\^*
^\».,,,,,, SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ,,,,,,.»\^
*^\».,,,,, THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ,,,,,.»\^*
#*^\».,,,, IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ,,,,.»\^*#
¶#*^\».,,, CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ,,,.»\^*#¶
@¶#*^\».,, ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ,,.»\^*#¶@
#@¶#*^\»., ,.»\^*#¶@#
@¶#*^\».,, THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ,,.»\^*#¶@
¶#*^\».,,, WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ,,,.»\^*#¶
#*^\».,,,, CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ,,,,.»\^*#
*^\».,,,,, BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ,,,,,.»\^*
^\».,,,,,, FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ,,,,,,.»\^
*^\».,,,,, BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ,,,,,.»\^*
#*^\».,,,, DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ,,,,.»\^*#
¶#*^\».,,, TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ,,,.»\^*#¶
@¶#*^\».,, DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ,,.»\^*#¶@
#@¶#*^\»., FLOOR. ,.»\^*#¶@#
@¶#*^\».,, ,,.»\^*#¶@
¶#*^\».,,, HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ,,,.»\^*#¶
#*^\».,,,, KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ,,,,.»\^*#
*^\».,,,,, LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ,,,,,.»\^*
^\».,,,,,, WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ,,,,,,.»\^
*^\».,,,,, PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ,,,,,.»\^*
#*^\».,,,, HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ,,,,.»\^*#
¶#*^\».,,, THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ,,,.»\^*#¶
@¶#*^\».,, ,,.»\^*#¶@
#@¶#*^\»., I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ,.»\^*#¶@#
@¶#*^\».,, WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ,,.»\^*#¶@
¶#*^\».,,, MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ,,,.»\^*#¶
#*^\».,,,, WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ,,,,.»\^*#
*^\».,,,,, THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ,,,,,.»\^*
^\».,,,,,, VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ,,,,,,.»\^
*^\».,,,,, BECOME STILL. ,,,,,.»\^*
#*^\».,,,, ,,,,.»\^*#
¶#*^\».,,, ^^ ,,,.»\^*#¶
@¶#*^\».,, ^^ ^^ ,,.»\^*#¶@
#@¶#*^\»., »»»»»»» ^ ^ »»»»»»» ,.»\^*#¶@#
@¶#*^\».,, ^^ ^^ ,,.»\^*#¶@
¶#*^\».,,, ^^ ,,,.»\^*#¶
#*^\».,,,, ,,,,.»\^*#
*^\».,,,,, A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ,,,,,.»\^*
^\».,,,,,, AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ,,,,,,.»\^
*^\».,,,,, BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ,,,,,.»\^*
#*^\».,,,, STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ,,,,.»\^*#
¶#*^\».,,, CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ,,,.»\^*#¶
@¶#*^\».,, FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ,,.»\^*#¶@
#@¶#*^\»., SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ,.»\^*#¶@#
@¶#*^\».,, AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ,,.»\^*#¶@
¶#*^\».,,, ,,,.»\^*#¶
#*^\».,,,, SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ,,,,.»\^*#
*^\».,,,,, THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ,,,,,.»\^*
^\».,,,,,, GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ,,,,,,.»\^
*^\».,,,,, I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ,,,,,.»\^*
#*^\».,,,, THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ,,,,.»\^*#
¶#*^\».,,, ,,,.»\^*#¶
@¶#*^\».,, I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ,,.»\^*#¶@
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